Total synthesis of the cyclopeptide alkaloid abyssenine A. Application of inter- and intramolecular copper-mediated coupling reactions in organic synthesis

The first total synthesis of the 15-membered ring cyclopeptide alkaloid abyssenine A 1 has been achieved with a longest linear sequence of 15 steps. Central to the synthetic approach was an efficient copper-mediated Ullmann coupling/Claisen rearrangement sequence allowing for both ipso and ortho functionalization of aromatic iodide 4. This sequence was used for the synthesis of the aromatic core. The synthetic utility of copper-catalyzed coupling reactions was further demonstrated to install the enamide with a concomitant straightforward macrocyclization starting from acyclic alpha-amido-omega-vinyl iodide 13.